Tricare Traitor: Are military families exempt from budget cuts?

How should the military share the burden of solving the American debt crisis?

In some people's minds, even thinking this statement is absurd. Haven't service members had enough on their plates? They do not need to "share the burden" of solving this crisis. (I'm talking benefits not bombers). But wait.

No one should be exempt from the discussion.

Everyone can make a valid argument as to why their program or situation is unique.

Seniors paid for social security. They should get it.

Children need a good education. They need more money not less for schools.

Military have fought the wars. They need more programs not less.

A friend emailed me this link about proposed cuts to Tricare Prime beneficiaries.

This article did not flesh out the exact details of what is being proposed for active duty families (of course!) but, instead, had a flashy headline that makes people jump: What? Cut medical benefits for military families? Read further and get more incensed: Cut commissary benefits? Seriously?

Well, I'm wondering, why not consider these options? I'm not going to speak to the retiree situation, but the active duty family member benefits (because that's what I write about: military families). Let me tell you why these cuts should be considered:

Simple Economics

Recently, our military family moved from post housing to private housing off post. And we are now paying for our utilities. We did not pay for them before. In my new house, I ask my kids to turn off lights. I tell them to turn off the water. I load the dishwasher fuller and rewear clothes I wouldn't have before...because now I pay for my consumption. When you get stuff for free, you overuse.

Don't tell me you think twice about picking up your 12th bottle of Motrin at the pharmacy "just in case" the one in the cabinet is expired. Hey, it's free! Got sniffles. Hey, the clinic is right down the road and, well, it's free!

And the commissary. 1.3 Billion dollar subsidy??? I don't know about you, but I can think of some bigger needs then subsidizing the commissary. Privatize. Privatize. Privatize. On. Post. Groceries. I have a feeling the quality of the food will increase, they will be more responsive, (Heck, they may even be open 24 HOURS!), and they can be tax free in states where there is a grocery tax.

But before you jump out of your skin saying "but we have given enough! Don't ask us to sacrifice more!" - I add this...

There are service members for whom these benefits (commissary/free medical) are essential because they just don't make enough money to get by without them. These are also the young service members whose faces we see in a small corner of our hometown newspapers. (And, yes, those service members that make more money get proportionally killed too.)

Our service members and many of our military families HAVE sacrificed too much over the past ten years. Many people don't know that service members deploy more than once. How many times have you been asked: He's done right? He's gone so he doesn't have to go again?

Here's a newsflash American public: I have friends whose spouses have deployed 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 (GULP!!!!), 11 TIMES! Yes. Seriously.

Does this tell you why people get a little upset when Congress starts talking about taking away stuff? Their spouse has been "taken away" for years, yes, years. Many years.

So instead of just taking away, consideration of the overall picture needs to be taken too. Are lower ranked enlisted making enough that they can survive without these benefits? Is "surviving" enough? Will military families be unfairly shouldering the burden? Does there need to be a proportional increase in salaries so the burden will be lighter? Don't bump costs up so high that we do carry a disproportional burden. Start slowly. See how a little bit of a cost share burden works.

Economically speaking, we should figure out a way to cut costs. (My personal favorite: duplicate programs people!) And I do believe there is a way to structure military medical benefits so that they are not unnecessarily over funded.

Is there hope that Congress will take a holistic approach to cutting costs? Nope. Not at all. Slash and burn seems to be the usual approach. But, personally, I don't think it is fair to say we are exempt from being evaluated for possible cuts.

Oh,yeah, by the way my dear Congress, take on your fair share of the burden. I can't seem to complete this sentence:

Congress has ___________. So they deserve to keep their pay and benefits.

Because if you are except from cuts then please ignore everything I wrote above. Well, at least until you wear your flak jackets for something other than pictures when you visit our spouses in the Middle East, put on some boots, pick up a gun and start fighting these wars that you can't seem to make up your minds about.